What no one knew then, was that the only “no” this group would hear would be coming from their own mics as they sang this song over the twenty years that followed. On November 11, 1997, LaTavia Roberson, LeToya Luckett, Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé Knowles became stars. They were just sixteen years old, hailing from Houston, Texas, but they were about to become the biggest girl group in pop music. And it all started with one song.

The year was 1997, and pop music was at the pinnacle of its newfound trend: the mixing of R&B and hip-hop on songs that had pop sensibilities in their catchiness. Destiny’s Child’s “No, No, No” was the perfect storm for this climate. Their team knew what they were doing when they enlisted Wyclef Jean for this single. Columbia Records labelmate Mariah Carey had just completed her transformation from pop princess to Hip-Hop Queen with the release of 1997’s “Honey” in August, and “No, No, No” followed its blueprint to a T.

Throwback sample? Check. Production by a Hip-Hop hitmaker? Check. Feature from said Hip-Hop hitmaker? Check. Tongue-twisting, rhythmic lyrics? Check. Skilled vocal runs and harmonies? Check. Music video with choreography and inexplicably 90s sets? Check. “No, No, No” Part 2 had it all – and performed accordingly, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B chart.

The story goes that after recording Part 1, Wyclef Jean was enlisted for the remix. Pressed for time in the studio with Wyclef, Beyoncé improvised and sang the verses in a rapid-fire, staccato type way. Wyclef loved it, and so they recorded the remix in that style. It would go on to become one aspect of Destiny’s Child’s (and Beyoncé’s) signature sound, that went on to be replicated by their peers, too. For this contribution, however, Beyoncé didn’t receive any sort of writing or production credit. It was a learning experience for her, from which she learned her worth (she received writing and production credits on the group’s next album).

Part 1 is a subdued slow jam, tailor-made for quiet storm radio. Beyoncé delivered an understated yet beautifully rich and mature vocal performance, perfectly accentuated by the group’s four-part harmonies. In the video, they look even more mature, dressed like grown-ass women, performing in a nightclub. While it’s a nice vibe, Part 2 is clearly the more renowned version, and rightfully so.

On “No, No, No” (both versions), Beyoncé was at the forefront vocally, while Kelly, LeToya, and LaTavia provided prominent background vocals. On other songs, Kelly would get the chance at lead vocals, too. As teenagers, she and Beyoncé sounded quite similar and many casual listeners likely couldn’t differentiate between the two.

It’s hard to believe that the girls were just sixteen at the time of the song’s release. They looked and sounded, lyrically, well beyond their years. Vocally, their skills were far more advanced than one would expect from a sixteen-year-old.

In being well beyond their years, “No, No, No” also introduced us to Destiny’s Child – thematically. “No, No, No” was assertive and empowering. It put the power in the woman’s hands. In a landscape of hyper-masculine R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop that objectified women, here Destiny’s Child was challenging a weak man who won’t, well, man up. Such themes would go on to become a trend throughout their music, aligning them with the girl-power movement.

Upon their debut, most probably considered Destiny’s Child’s competition to be that of SWV, 702, Escape, Total, Blaque, Allure, Brownstone, etc. as well as their inspirations who maybe could become competition: EnVogue and TLC. They likely were not expected to crossover. Based on the content, sound, and success of their debut set that assessment would have been accurate. However, in 1997, another girl group also debuted in the US who would go on to become Destiny’s Child’s biggest rival: the Spice Girls. All that would change two years later, in 1999.

Wyclef predicted it best, “Went from a dream, to a young Supremes…” It all began in 1997, with “No, No, No” …and we’ve been saying “yes, yas, YASSS” ever since.

The post How “No, No, No” introduced us to Destiny’s Child appeared first on THE 97.

In September 1997, Mariah Carey released Butterfly, her self-described favorite and best album. Among her adoring fans, the #Lambily, it is widely considered the fan-favorite and best album as well, though some do differ in opinion. Still, Butterfly remains a sorely underrated classic in the grander scheme of things. You won’t find Butterfly on most “best albums of all time” lists by music’s most revered and respected publications. Butterfly was not lauded by critics, nor was it showered with Grammy’s. Sure, it received good reviews and praise, but the album is not anywhere near as respected as it should be among other albums by pop stars. It is an injustice.

Butterfly is music’s most underrated album because of this lack of respect. The album contains quite possibly the most poetically beautiful lyrics of any album released by her peers, with vocals equal or arguably better than anyone with the pipes to rival her. Musically, the production is flawless, the sound is subtly innovative, and boasts some groundbreaking collaborations both behind the scenes and with its guest features. The content of the album makes it one of the most personal and honest albums ever recorded. It is by far Mariah’s best work, and Mariah is by far the most successful and talented female singer-songwriter-producer. That alone should catapult Butterfly to the Top 5 or at least Top 10 of every “best albums” list. Below, I’ve outlined 20 reasons why Mariah Carey’s Butterfly music’s most underrated album.

1. The unrivaled introspectiveness

Butterfly is by far Mariah Carey’s most personal album. Free from the control of her looming ex-husband, Mariah was finally able to make an album where she could be 100% true to herself. On Butterfly, she examined her life experiences, both past and present, in songs that sound as though they’re pages from her diary; “Breakdown,” “Close My Eyes,” “Outside” and the title track, for example.

2. The unabashed honesty

With introspection comes honesty, and on Butterfly, Mariah did not hold back. “Breakdown” is probably one of the most honest songs ever recorded about heartbreak. “My All” and “Babydoll” are painfully frank representations of the word “longing,” while “Outside” and “Close My Eyes” don’t hold back in assessing the adversities in her past.

3. The gut-wrenching emotion

Introspection and honesty are the perfect recipe for a gut-wrenching emotional response. Through both her words and her vocals, Mariah delivers some of the most emotional moments of her career. The ad-libs during the heartbreaking climax “Breakdown,” or the powerful promises of “Whenever You Call” will tug on your heart strings for sure.

4. The meaningful metaphor

As an album title, Butterfly is a metaphor for Mariah’s breaking out of the cocoon to be her true self. However, the masterful use of metaphor doesn’t cease there. Throughout the albums lyrics, she weaves in complex, thought-provoking metaphors. The title track creates an allegory through its use of extended metaphor. Within that, she includes a poignant metaphor, singing “wild horses run unbridled or their spirit dies.” Then of course, there’s the lead single “Honey,” which some believe is a metaphor for something very naughty…

5. The timeless nostalgia

Several tracks on Butterfly have a genuine, nostalgic air that made them feel timeless upon their release in 1997. “Fourth of July” and “The Roof” find Mariah recanting past experiences, longing for a replay. No one else delivers a nostalgic moment quite like Mariah. Alas, over the last 20 years, all of the album’s twelve tracks have become irreplaceable pieces of 90s nostalgia.

6. The subtle sensuality

Never before had a Mariah Carey album been so sensual, yet, Butterfly is still subtle in its sensuality. The sexual innuendo “Honey” is cleverly hidden by wordplay, while songs like “My All,” “Babydoll,” and “The Roof” express a sensual yearning for love and affection in a very intimate way. Never raunchy, Butterfly is a beautiful soundtrack for love-making on a romantic evening.

7. The Mariah Carey vocals

It wouldn’t be a Mariah Carey album without the Mariah Carey vocals. Yes, “Mariah Carey” is an adjective; a very specific one. Her versatile vocal abilities are unparalleled. Not only are her technical abilities on display on this album, but perhaps more significant are the many colors and textures of her voice that she showcases on Butterfly. They’re all unmistakably Mariah Carey yet so diverse in delivery. Mariah creates moods and provides outer-body experiences with those vocals. She will send you straight to your feels with the way she delivers a particular lyric. She takes songs to places only she can for their climaxes. On Butterfly, the most notable examples of this are the bridges of “Outside” and its title track. Her voice soars and will leave you on the floor.

8. The iconic visuals

Without question, Butterfly was Mariah Carey’s visual peak. From the album cover, to the full photoshoot, to her hair and ensemble style choices, and most importantly, the music videos… everything was on point. The free-flowing, golden brown, caramel drizzled hair and the controversial skin-bearing ensembles forever changed the image of Mariah Carey. Buttefly‘s videos were innovative, creative, artistic and thought provoking. Whether it be “Honey” where art seemed to imitate life, the theatrical “Butterfly,” or the painting-come-to-life “My All,” with Butterfly MC delivered visually.

9. The relatable themes

Mariah covers a lot of ground on Butterfly. Running through the album’s 12 tracks, in one word each: Infatuation, growth, yearning, reminiscing, young love, unrequited love, lust, adversity, devotion, liberation, heartbreak, and otherness. All of these are easily relatable, making Butterfly not only a fan-favorite, but a classic.

10. The superb samples

Being the hip-hop artist that she is, Mariah is a big fan of the sample. A lot of music we listen to has an element of sampling within it. From Tupac and Eminem to One Direction, inspiration has been taken from previous artists to create something new. With the use of vocal packs, it is becoming even more possible to sample vocals for an artists’ new track. On Butterfly, only two tracks utilize a sample, but both are superbly done. On “Honey,” she utilized two classic hip-hop samples, The World Famous Supreme Team’s “Hey DJ” and The Treacherous Three’s “The Body Rock.” Meanwhile, on “The Roof,” she sampled a then-recent hit by Mobb Deep, “Shook Ones Part 1.” The way she flipped these samples into completely different new songs while still keeping that hip-hop realness is unreal.

11. The incorporation of Hip-Hop

With the samples, Mariah effortlessly incorporated hip-hop elements into her music on Butterfly; more than ever before. In contrast 1995’s Daydream found most of her hip-hop influences regulated to the remix versions of songs. With Butterfly, she had a bit more freedom. Not only were there the samples, but Mariah even enlisted Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to guest on “Breakdown,” their first collaboration with a singer of Mariah’s stature. It was a big deal for both artists.

12. The inventive Prince cover

Mariah flipped Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones” from an energized rock-and-roll tinged electric ballad into a slower, more subdued yet equally emotional ballad. Not only that, but she turned Prince’s classic from a solo number into a duet with R&B group Dru Hill. Once again, Mariah found herself trading lines and holding her own vocally, alongside an entire group, cascading through her range effortlessly.

13. The thesaurus-opening vocabulary

While listening to Butterfly, you might need to pull out your thesaurus because Mariah Carey’s vocabulary is college level. The album’s twelve tracks are littered with SAT words that’ll leave you with an improved vocabulary by the time you’re done. Unlike most, she actually knows how to use the words properly, too. Here’s a sample of some of those words:

blatant, elusive, abruptly, unbridled, ambiguous, emblazoned, envision, apprehension, splendor, flourish, succumb, resounding, fervid, strewn, entwined, ominously, tentatively, unyielding, nonchalant, guise, wayward, dissipate, inherently.

14. The masterful poetic writing

Part of being a poet is using beautiful language in your writing, and her vocabulary skills alone prove that. However, throughout the album’s lyrics she also uses an array of poetic devices and figurative language that enhance the songs both lyrically and musically. The beautiful lyrics to a song like “Close My Eyes,” on which she sings, “orangey clouds roll by, they burn into your image and you’re still alive,” show not only her rhyme-making skills, but just how beautiful she makes language sound.

15. The style-making rap-singing

In the late 90s, as R&B and Hip-Hop became more and more mainstream in Pop music, singers began displaying a bit of a hip-hop, rap-style singing. Most would credit this trend to the rappers, however, Mariah Carey was one of the first release such rhythmic, rhyme-riddled recordings. The chorus of “Breakdown” is one of the best examples of this. Nearly every other word rhymes, and she emulates Bone Thugs’ signature flow effortlessly.

16. The innovative remixes

Mariah has a penchant for remixes, and the Butterfly era delivered some of her best. The lead single “Honey” had a So So Def remix featuring Da Brat as well as a re-recorded dance mix. For the hip-hop remix of “Honey,” she sampled a different part of the same “Hey DJ” song used in the original to create a whole new track. The club mix, on the other hand, is a vocal tour de force. The title track too had a re-recorded dance mix that really stands alone as its own song. “My All,” like “Honey,” had a So So Def remix and a dance mix. Its hip-hop remix was the first of many to come mash-up remixes by Mariah, where she samples and covers portions of an old song and mixes it with her new song that she is remixing. Meanwhile, “The Roof” was remixed featuring Mobb Deep, and “Breakdown” had a “Mo’ Thugs” version as well.

17. The ingenious adlibs

Certainly, its easy to rave about Mariah’s ad-libs from a vocal standpoint. However, equally impressive is the way she will riff and add new lyrics to a song that were clearly freestyled in the vocal booth. For example, on “Babydoll,” amidst layers of backgrounds at the end, she sings, “still laying up in bed, it’s 3:27, my body’s longing, so why ain’t you calling?” Not only does it flow and rhyme, but continues to add to the theme. Usually, an artist will just repeat the lyrics, sung differently – not Mariah.

18. The captivating storytelling

The nostalgic pair of “The Roof” and “Fourth of July” are amazing examples of Mariah’s profoundly captivating storytelling skills. She details these elaborate memories with vivid details and imagery, that it’s almost like listening to a short story. One could probably take either of these songs and work them into a full stage production for Broadway. That’s how well done they are. She gives you characters, a plot and imagery to bring these sensual, nostalgic stories to life.

19. The poignant outsider’s anthem

“Outside” deserves its own mention because, for Mariah’s biracial, LGBTQ or any fans who feel like the “other,” it is an anthem. The powerful song offers solace for anyone who felt similarly to Mariah growing up, and is the reason for the beautiful bond she has with her fans.

20. The lingering, liberating impact

Butterfly forever changed Mariah’s career and sound due to her newfound freedom. It also helped to change the sound and landscape of R&B and Pop, inspiring other Pop/R&B female artists to work with hip-hop artists. Not only that, but it opened the door for Pop artists, particularly females, to be a bit more introspective in their work.

Want more? Here are 10 more articles we’ve penned about Butterfly over the years:

“Butterfly,” the song, and the album overall:
Butterfly, Fly Away: Mariah Carey’s first emancipation

The debut of “Honey”
Breaking Out of the Cocoon: A look back at the debut of Mariah Carey’s “Honey”

The “Honey” remixes:
The Many Forms of Metamorphosis: A review of Mariah Carey’s “Honey” remixes

The “Honey” and “Butterfly” videos:
Emancipating Visuals: Mariah breaks free with “Butterfly” and “Honey”

“Breakdown,” “Close My Eyes,” and “Outside”:
The Butterfly Effect: Mariah discovers The Art of Letting Go

“The Roof,” “My All,” and “Fourth of July”:
Reliving the Splendor: Mariah’s nostalgic storytelling on Butterfly

The “My All” and “The Roof” videos:
Liberating Venus: Mariah’s sensuality awakens with “My All” and “The Roof”

“My All,” as a #1:
“I’m thinking of”… Mariah Carey’s 13th #1: “My All”

“Babydoll,” “Whenever You Call” and “The Beautiful Ones”:
I Wanna Be Your Babydoll: The longings of a Butterfly

The Lyrics = The Feels
18 lyrics from Mariah Carey’s ‘Butterfly’ that’ll put you in your feelings

The post Mariah Carey’s ‘Butterfly’ is Music’s Most Underrated Album appeared first on THE 97.

Rhythm and Blues has always been evolutionary. Deeply rooted in gospel, jazz, and the blues, R&B has become one of the main expressions of the African-American experience throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether the subject matter ranges from civil disobedience, to love, family, or to sex, what is certain is that R&B has always been unmistakably and unapologetically black. By the mid 1990’s, R&B was in a unique situation. Directly following the New Jack Swing era, the genre found itself caught up in the hip-hop soul era, being dominated by artists such as Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Brandy, Aaliyah, Monica, and countless others. As hip-hop soul ruled the radio airwaves, a different, more nostalgic type of R&B was beginning to form. Helping lead the charge towards change one particular artist with the perfect blend of sophistication, sensuality, sensitivity, and musicality. It was this artist, known simply as Maxwell, that became one of the catalysts for a major shift in R&B throughout the latter part of the 90’s and into the new millennium.

By 1994, 20-year-old Gerald Rivera had spent the better part of three years building a reputation as a consummate singer-songwriter in New York. Hailing originally from Brooklyn, Rivera’s musical development stemmed from a deeply religious upbringing, which lent itself toward his extraordinary vocal ability, consisting of both a deeply rich tenor and a highly emotive falsetto. Upon his signage to Columbia Records that same year, Rivera, now professionally known as Maxwell, requested to work with legendary songwriter Leon Ware, the main songwriter of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You album. With Ware, musical partner Hod David, and music producer Stuart Matthewman, Rivera completed work on his debut album Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite by the middle of 1995. Upon completion, Columbia was weary of releasing Urban Hang Suite, out of much concern that the album lacked the mainstream appeal needed to generate a hit record. However, after a year of being shelved by the label, the album quietly dropped on April 2, 1996.

Urban Hang Suite is a concept album that details the various stages of a relationship between lovers, including first encounters (“Welcome”, “Dancewitme”) sex, (“Til The Cops Come Knockin’) breakups, makeups, and marriage. The first single, “Til The Cops Come Knockin”, was released on May 14, 1996, and  serves as a sublime standout on the album. “Knockin” details a sexual relationship between a man and a woman, in which the man’s top priority is achieving sexual ecstasy by pleasing the woman’s needs. The jazz organ, which is a recurrent instrument used throughout the record, gives the song a smokey, seductive edge, while Maxwell coos over the instrumentation in his signature falsetto. An exceptionally well written song, “Knockin'” served as a phenomenal first single for an amazing album, and remains a staple in Maxwell’s live performances. (Sidenote: To be blunt, that part in the music video where Maxwell rolls all over his apartment floor makes me so twitterpaited. Every. Single. Time. If only I could have been that floor. Yes, I’m thirsty and I own it.)

Moving right along, if “Knockin” was the single to start the album’s success off on a good note, then it was the second single, aptly named “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)” that propelled Maxwell into stardom. The mid-tempo, bass heavy track, penned by Maxwell and songwriter Itaal Shur, dropped on July 30, 1996, and details Maxwell assuring his lover that she’s “the highest of the high”, and never needs to worry about his love for her, crooning, “If you don’t know then I’ll say it, so don’t ever wonder…” (Remind me again why this man and I aren’t married yet?) Anyway, the song peaked at #36 on Billboard’s Hot 100, creating the Rivera’s first appearance on the chart, and remains one of his best known songs. What I love most about this track is the very mellow bass line, in contrast with Max’s wavering falsetto in the song’s opening bars. Classic.

The next single released in December of 1996, is among my favorite of Maxwell’s catalog. “Sumthin’ Sumthin'”, written by himself and Ware, sees Maxwell pursuing his love interest, all while praising her blackness and cool “mellow smooth” nature. 15 years after the release of Urban Hang Suite, Maxwell had this to say during his VH1 Storytellers performance in regard to Leon Ware:

“He used to hip me to so much soul music… like Grand Central Station, and Sly Stone, and all these things that kinda represent good music and discipline. Not just hits, not just celebrity, not just some annoying song that you really wanna just not hear anymore on the radio. That stuff that lasts, that stuff that you put on at Christmas, and Thanksgiving, on Sundays, when everyone comes back to the anniversary of whatever. THAT kind of music. ” – Maxwell, 2011

The song (also included in the 1997 film Love Jones) is just a funky, feel good masterpiece, and his slow jam version, “Mello: Sumthin (The Hush),”  which is included in the 1997 live album Maxwell: Unplugged is even better.

An inescapable fact about Urban Hang Suite, is that it serves as a beautiful metaphor for life and love. There isn’t one filler song on the album. Quite the contrary, each track builds off of the previous song, seamlessly weaving together a cohesive body of work from start to finish. Towards the middle of the album, we really get to the crux of things, with songs that were not commercially released as singles. With these cuts, we see Maxwell use his narrative to toil through the breakups (“Lonely’s The Only Company”) and makeups (“Reunion”) of relationships. While these two tracks aren’t songs that are well known from his catalog, one thing that can be definitively said, is whether known or not, they fulfill their duty as a support system of the album.

One of Maxwell’s most purposeful tracks, and arguably one of the best, is the 1997 single, “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever”. “Wherever, Wherever, Whatever” is a beautiful ballad with downright gorgeous string instrumentation, which lyrically depicts Maxwell pledging his eternal and undying love to his soulmate.

In more recent years the song serves, to some capacity, as an ode of devotion from an artist who selectively releases new material, to his fanbase, and best represents the notion that though he may not be here when we want him, he’s definitely here when we need him most. What I personally love most about this song in this particular, is that it showcases Maxwell’s willingness to be sensitive in spite of his masculinity, while lyrically, still asserting that he will be strong enough to protect his woman from the perils of the world. The album’s conclusion ends on a high note, with the final single and track of the album, “Suitelady (The Proposal Jam”). It’s here in which the relationship culminates in a very erotic marriage proposal from Maxwell. If you haven’t heard the song before, please prepare your edges and heartstrings for snatching.

The success of Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, marked a huge triumph for the singer, and in turn helped spark a creative renaissance in R&B, now known as the Neo Soul movement. The album, along with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu’s Baduism, and D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar are the seminal four albums that opened the flood gates for other artists such as Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, Eric Benét, Lalah Hathaway, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, among many others, and made those artists accessible to mainstream chart success; a trend that still continues today.

The Neo Soul movement also helped more established stars such as Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Common, Raphael Saadiq, and hip hop group OutKast embrace their more afrocentric, soulful sides, which in turn gave vaster audiences a glimpse into late 90’s urban life. Whether or not it was Maxwell that was the main artist that precipitated this change is up to personal opinion. However what is non-debatable is the fact that Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite is a showcase of a very dynamic individual, who’s legacy is long lasting.

PS: Make sure you check out Maxwell’s new single, “Lake By The Ocean“! Check out our review on the single, and make sure you catch Maxwell in a city near you this summer, on the SUMMERS’ Tour! His new album blackSUMMERS’night drops on July 1st.

The post How ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite’ helped revolutionize R&B appeared first on THE 97.

Going into the recording of her holiday collection, Mariah knew she wanted to do a few things. Mariah typically writes the songs she sings, but she recognized writing original holiday songs is a risky proposition. Carey told Billboard, “It was definitely a priority for me to write at least a few new songs, but for the most part, people really want to hear the standards at Christmas.” Mariah also knew she wanted a more gospel feel for the project, so she brought in noted composer and arranger Loris Holland to co-produce a few tracks and to play the Hammond B-3 organ. Mariah’s grandmother had taken her to church as a child, and Merry Christmas allowed her to combine her love for the holidays with her gospel roots. As J.D. Considine wrote in The Baltimore Sun, Merry Christmas is “the work of someone who genuinely loves this music.”

Mariah has said she was more free with her vocals on the project and didn’t worry about getting every line perfect. Critics took notice of this freedom and spirit immediately. Billboard said her “voice is a malleable marvel of emotion and range,” and Steve Morse of The Boston Globe wrote that the holiday collection “features the most unbridled singing of her career.” Considine noted that “the album’s real strength is the conviction she brings” to songs that could be corny, and Jeremy Helliger of People went as far as to say, “crooning Christmas carols seems to be [Mariah’s] calling.” Schwartz calls the songs and performances “undeniably brilliant” and wrote that Carey gives “elevated, near-definitive interpretations” of songs that numerous artists have sung.

While Mariah’s singing was deservedly praised, it is also notable that some of the new songs Mariah wrote for the collection have enjoyed their own success. The three original holiday songs Mariah wrote for the album are “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” “Miss You Most (At Christmastime),” and “Jesus Born On This Day.” While “Jesus Born On This Day” has gained some notoriety in Christian and gospel circles, having been covered by Avalon, Norman Hutchins, Morris Chapman, and Danny Chambers, it is “All I Want For Christmas Is You” that has become a legitimate holiday season standard. Sasha Frere-Jones wrote in The New Yorker that with the “charming” song, Mariah “co-wrote one of the few worthy modern additions to the holiday canon.” Rolling Stone placed the song on its list of The Greatest Rock & Roll Christmas Songs. Chuck Klosterman took it further writing for Spin that “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is, “Definitely the best Christmas song since ‘Christmas Wrapping’ (the Waitresses), possibly the best Christmas song since ‘Jesus Christ’ (Big Star), and arguably the best Christmas song since ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ (various artists).” Praise like that shows how widespread the love for “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is considering the magazine usually has little use for an artist like Mariah.

In fact acts ranging from My Chemical Romance to Shania Twain, John Mayer, Michael Buble, Miley Cyrus, and more have covered the track, further showing its mass appeal. Film director Richard Curtis says his film Love Actually, which has become a holiday staple itself, was a stab at capturing the feeling “All I Want For Christmas Is You” gives. Curtis says the song puts him in a good mood when he hears it, and he made sure to use it in the film as well. In naming it her favorite Christmas song, singer Leona Lewis echoes Curtis in saying “All I Want For Christmas Is You” makes her smile and that when you hear it, “you know it’s the start of Christmas time.” In 2011 the song was recorded for the television show Glee, and that same year the crew of the HMS Ocean made a video set to the song in celebration of their return home. The video went viral. During the 2012 holiday season, a new version of the song performed for Jimmy Fallon’s show received over 10 million views on YouTube. Blogger Greg Fanoe comments, “It’s a modern Christmas classic that’s infiltrated pop culture as much as any of the ‘classic’ Christmas carols.” Erin Strecker of Billboard noted the song “takes over pop culture each December.” Helliger may not have realized just how prescient his comment that “the frisky girl-group jubilance of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’…makes it as good as any of the classics that surround it” was when he wrote it. Kelly Clarkson echoed that sentiment when she declared to KISS 108, “Do you know how many people would die to write [that song]?”

This sort of success came as a surprise to Carey. As she told Marie Claire, “Nothing against Casio, but I wrote ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ on my little Casio keyboard! I never knew it would turn into the hit it is!” The hit starts with opening chimes that Strecker calls “iconic” and Carey singing nearly a capella. After that intro it becomes clear the track is modeled after songs from the ’50s and ’60s. The AABA song structure harkens back to that time period, as does the wall-of-sound production style that was a trademark of Phil Spector. Carey and co-producer Walter Afanasieff use harmonies, bells, tympanis, and a fast pace to inject the track with what Roch Perisien of All Music Guide calls “exuberant fun.” Perhaps Rich Juzwiak said it best when he wrote for Slant that “‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ is totally a classic. A lot of people think it’s a cover, which I think is a testament to its success.” The pop sheen still allows the song to appeal to modern sensibilities, but its general vintage nature is the point. Kyle Anderson of MTV noted the songs mix of elements in calling it a “majestic anthem.” Rachel Beckman of The Washington Post described the song as “pure, distilled holiday music joy” while calling it “the best Christmas song ever.”

Keeping all of that in mind, it’s no surprise that Merry Christmas and “All I Want For Christmas Is You” have been commercial juggernauts. Merry Christmas has been certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA, which places it among the top 3 holiday albums of all-time in the U.S. It has also sold over 14 million copies worldwide, making it, according to Billboard, the “most successful Christmas album of all time.” “All I Want For Christmas Is You” continues to do extremely well each holiday season, and it even topped the Billboard Download Songs chart in 2005, over a decade after its initial release. As it is every season, it was among the 5 most-played holiday songs on U.S. radio during the 2013 holiday season. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has charted on the UK singles chart 9 times, and it is one of fewer than 10 holiday singles to have sold 1 million copies there. Other tracks from Merry Christmas have also made the U.S. Download Songs chart and received significant airplay. The ubiquitous success of the collection has surely encouraged other artists to record holiday albums as well. As Sal Cinquemani of Slant writes, “Ever since Mariah Carey’s multi-platinum Merry Christmas, celeb-Christmas albums have become obligatory rites of commercial passage.” While it may have been common for artists to record a holiday song or two for a compilation album, it wasn’t until the mid-90s that it became common for major artists to release full-length holiday albums as a viable career move. The Guardian noted the album has generated “many imitations.” It is also now commonplace for AC radio stations to play holiday music 24/7 during the holiday season, which wasn’t something that was done in the early ’90s. Jon Caramanica summed it up when he wrote in the The New York Times that Mariah’s collection is “one of the great modern holiday albums.” Clarkson has admitted that she listens to the album in June.

Her influence isn’t necessarily something Mariah gets a lot of credit for, but it’s also not something that can really be denied. Even if you simply enjoy Merry Christmas for the fun, committed collection that it is, the effects of its creation are noticeable every holiday season. Check out her out Christmas videos below, and of course be sure to order a copy of her classic album, and 2010’s follow up, here.

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